The WWF’s grilled meat check lacks climate protection when grilling; instead, supermarkets mainly focus on tempting offers with cheap meat. Of the 196 discounted grilled products surveyed, 90 percent were of animal origin, of which 95 percent came from conventional livestock farming. Every fifth product advertised came from abroad.
“These are false incentives and signals: the leaflets are full of special discounts on meat instead of promoting regional organic products and plant-based alternatives. This makes it difficult to make climate-friendly and healthy decisions, even though more and more people want to eat sustainably,” says Pegah Bayaty, spokesperson for sustainable nutrition at WWF Austria.
Austrians are meat eaters
In Austria, annual meat consumption averages 59 kilograms per capita, three to five times higher than recommended by environmental and health experts. In return, the WWF called for a fundamental rethink by supermarkets and politicians towards a sustainable food transition: “Due to the increase in prices, the federal government must abolish VAT on vegetables, fruit and legumes and present a package of measures for a sustainable food transition. So far, little or nothing has happened here,” criticizes Bayaty.
There was also criticism that soy feed is often imported from other parts of the world for the heavily discounted conventional meat from Austria. “Only with organic farming is feeding without rainforest soya guaranteed. On the other hand, imported soy is mostly used to feed conventionally farmed animals – especially in pig fattening – destroying species-rich habitats such as tropical rainforests and savannas around the world. In addition, there are significantly lower animal welfare standards,” the WWF said.
Grilled products as tempting offers
For the current study, the WWF evaluated the grill range in the flyers of Billa, Billa Plus, Spar, Lidl, Hofer and Penny between April 18 and May 16, 2024. A total of 196 grilled products were on offer, including 177 meat products.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
